Desprate Time's and Loving Measures
by Jaden Ink
Summary: After lawyer Gorge Venturi enters a case that sends a Toronto gang leader to jail Somthing terrible happens. Now the gang wants their leader back and they took more then enough collateral. Dasey
1. Chapter 1

Her life swirled into her dream. The foggy fishbowl type view seemed to magnify everything. It had been 2 months since he disappeared, and two hours since she found out that his disappearance was connected with her step dad's job. Two years ago, Gorge Venturi was part of a case. He paired up with a private investigator to gain evidence against a major gang called Fear crew. First the private investigator went missing, and soon after, Derek, my stepbrother. 

_She remembered that day perfectly. It was after school and she saw a crowed circle in the field to the left of the parking lot. Casey could hear shouting and common names above the voices. Derek and Max. Quickly she ran to the circle and pushed her way through. She saw the familiar leather jacket and jeans straddling a body. She could see Derek's arm raise and drop simultaneously. _

"_Derek? Derek! Derek stop!" Casey ran up behind him and wrapped her arms around his stilling his movements in mid swing. Once Casey knew Derek stopped she looked down._

_Max was now propped up on his elbow wiping the blood off his face. Derek had a split lip and a bruise under his eye. Derek turned in Casey's arms, and as she stared down at Max stunned, he studied her face. It was confused and slightly freighted, and then he saw it, the coming of anger. His fingers wrapped around her arms pulling himself loose and pushing his way out of the circle. The crowd dissipated as Casey tended to Max her boyfriend._

_Max told her that Derek pranked him and when he confronted Derek, Derek got angry and Max fought back in defence._

_When she got home Derek was cleaned up and sitting in his recliner._

"_I can't believe you!" she shouted at him throwing down her things._

"_Nice to see you too Case."_

"_How dare you! Just when I thought you grew up you do this how dare you!"_

"_Casey calm down."_

"_Calm down? Calm down? I HATE it when people tell me to calm down, it makes me very tense!"_

"_Well suck it up princess cause you don't know what you're talking about." Derek stood up and headed for the stairs but Casey stepped in front of him their chests were almost touching. He shoved his hands into his pocket and stared at her waiting for her to finish her rant._

"_First you prank him then beat him up when he tells you to leave him alone? You are such a self-cantered egotistical jackass. I loathe you. I despise you. I never thought that I could actually hate you but guess what I do I Ha-"_

_Derek stepped closer to her with his hand covering her mouth thumb down ward. Her back was now against the banister._

"_Don't say it. Not in the heat of the moment. If you actually hate me you can say it just don't say it because you're pissed. Second, I can't believe you are listening to that meathead. Case I didn't prank him I confronted him about something. I lost my temper I admit, but it was with a valid reason." He let go of Casey and she scoffed crossing her arms over her chest._

"_Give me one good reason why I should believe you, 'lord of the lies'? Huh?"_

"_I would think you would believe family." Casey chuckled with no humour._

"_Your no family of mine." Derek's jaw tightened as he started into Casey's face. Her face was flushed like it usually was when they fought, but her eyes held malice. Malice that he never thought she was capable of. He bit his lip and stormed out of the house not even bothering to grab his jacket. _

_That was the last time she saw him. It clicked now, when he still hadn't come home the next day the phone rang and she answered it._

"Hello? Derek?" she heard a deep cocky laughter on the other line before a voice spoke up asking for Gorge.

Now as she was swirling in her dream, the pain she felt of that day disappeared as she felt the realization. Then man who laughed was a gang member, and he found his next target when he heard the worry in Casey's voice.

She walked through her dream to moments before they started. Gorge had come clean to everyone. Apparently no one knew about the phone calls from the gang members to Gorge, not even Nora. After he enlightened everyone to the situation, there was an awkward silence. Casey grabbed Derek's leather jacket, and left to walk through the park. For 2 months she had been beating herself up over what she had said to Derek. Since he disappeared, she stopped talking to people, stopped going out with Max, or Emily. Max and her never voiced their break-up they just stopped talking and everything.

Her thoughts had kept running back to the look on his face before he left. The Derek Venturi looked hurt. That memory had torn her apart. She had said horrible things to him and to be honest, she was disappointed in herself. He was right when he stopped her, what she said was out of anger. She didn't mean it and now she thought she would never get a chance to apologize to him.

She was on the swing by now swinging with her thoughts when suddenly the swing had stopped. She went to turn to see what had grabbed the chains when a hand and cloth flew over her nose and mouth.

She thought to herself that what she should to is hold her breath, and struggle, then pretend to pass out. But her body thought otherwise, she arched her back and the person pulled her backwards off the swing till he was cradling her on the ground. She clawed at the hand until her world grew fuzzy around the edges until she relived her past.

The fuzziness was wearing off her whole body felt numb and she couldn't move. She couldn't even tell if she still had limbs. There was a hum in her ears that grew louder until she heard a pop and then her ears were fine.

"I swear to God if she's not-" Casey heard a hollow bang and heard a grunt. She heard sputtering and coughing and someone dropped to the floor.

"You'll what? I thought you would have learned your place by now." She heard footsteps and a metal bang. The coughing slowly stopped and she heard noise, like some one crawling on cement. She felt her head go heavy and move up wards as she still heard the noise. Her head was lowered on something soft and she could feel pressure being put on her face. Someone was smoothing her hair back away from her face. Casey forced her eyes to slowly open. The room was dimly lit and cold. She could see the outline of a head as she struggled to focus her eyes. She started to move and the person helped her sit up.

"Case…" the voice breathed in relief as Casey stared into his eyes.

"Derek… Derek!" she exclaimed throwing her arms around his neck. He leaned back against the wall pulling Casey with him. She was on his lap now face buried into his chest as he bent his head so it was buried into her hair. She cried against him and he didn't care, he just held her until her tears ran dry into hiccups.

"I-I t-though I w-w-would never s-s-see you again…" Derek chuckled against her hair

"I didn't think you would care this much…" she looked up at him and he gulped regretting what he said. The hurt in her eyes now made him grimice. "Case… I-"

"No it's okay, your right, and I am so sorry I didn't mean it any of it, I just…" she didn't want to talk anymore. Derek understood that.

"Can you stand?" he asked her. She nodded and got off him. Derek wrapped a hand around his torso as he stood.

"Are you okay?" Casey asked him. She took in his appearance for the first time, his hair was matted and messy and there were dark patches that looked like dried blood. His face had bruises and there was blood splatters on his shirt and jeans his arms had bruises and cuts too.

"Oh God what have they done to you?" Casey asked stepping closer to him examining the injuries closer.

"Eh it's nothing, lets just say I'm not the most cooperative captive." He smirked his lopsided grin, which made Casey well with joy. He was still Derek despite it all.

"It's not nothing." Casey said as she gently pulled his hand away from his stomach with her eyes still on his. He let his hand drop to his side. She grabbed onto his shirt and pulled it up slowly. She dropped to her knees and saw all the bruises. On one side of his ribcage was a large red mark, like blood was pooling under the surface of his skin white was showing through and it looked like something was pressing in the middle of the pool. Casey grazed her finger around the red gently. Derek took a sharp intake of breath.

"Sorry." Casey whispered. Derek gulped, glad she mistook him. He wasn't getting used to the fact that it was her fingers… on his stomach. He shook his head and yanked down his shirt. 

"It's nothing." He said taking a subtle step away.

"It's not nothing you could have a broken rib!"

"Casey we have other things to worry about. How did they get you? Why?" Derek moved to sit on the mattress that was in the corner of the dark room. It looked like a storage closet, a little bigger though. The only things in there were the mattress, a pillow and a blanket.

"I was at the park, Gorge told us what was really going on, we all needed time to think." She sat beside Derek and he turned to her with confused eyes.

"What do you mean what was really going on." She looked at him just as confused

"You don't know?" Casey found this a little hard to believe but the look on Derek's face made her think twice.

"I've been shut in here for two months Case. They weren't telling me anything not even why they took me, I haven't seen the sun, or heard music, I barley talk to them except for when they come in to batter me around a bit for not behaving."

"What's not behaving to them?" 

"It changes from day to day. Some times I deserve it, some times I don't"

"Gorge was working on a case against the Fear Crew he put the leader in jail, and they want him out." Casey pointed to the door.

"And were the bargaining chips…" Derek finished. The door creaked open Derek squinted into the light. They could see an outline of a man and a pistol in his right hand.

"It's your lucky day, bathroom and shower Venturi." Casey could tell that Derek was hesitant in leaving her.

"Go Derek. I'll be fine I promise."

Derek nodded before getting up and going to the bathroom. The doors shut and Casey was left in darkness. The bathroom was right beside the room they were in. there was a rusty shower toilet and sink. Derek took off his shirt to examine his ribs. It wasn't broken, it was a fracture, the bump was just the swelling. He would have to be extra careful. If he got there again it would break.

The rule of the bathroom for once every 2 weeks was you had exactly 45 min to do what you needed. He showered quickly washing the dried blood down the drain. The guy who came to get him today had shouted that he had 3 minutes left. He went under the sink and grabbed the first aid kit grabbing all of his tenser bandages.

"Times up." He tossed Derek a grubby pair of pants and a t-shirt before shoving him back into the room. he was till in a towel and was rather embarrassed as Casey stared at his half naked body.

"Uh…"

"Oh right sorry!" Casey turned quickly and her face was scarlet. Derek pulled on his pant's quickly.

"You can look now." He chuckled. Casey turned back around but kept her eyes averted. He was still bare-chested, and it made her feel a little strange.

"Can you help me?" she looked over at Derek as he held out two rolls of tenser bandages to her. She nodded to him and took the bandages. At first she was afraid that she would hurt his side and Derek sensed that.

"It's okay, it's just a fracture I'll be fine." Casey bit her lip and gave Derek an edge to hold onto his side. She stood in front of him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Okay now cross it over so that the rest piles on the other side with the fracture in between the two." she did as she was told and used the second bandage to wrap around the whole thing.

"How's that?"

"Perfect." Casey looked up at Derek. He was staring at her with a strange expression.

"What?" she asked fidgeting slightly.

"Nothing, just, I never thought I would see you again. Does it make me a horrible person if I'm sort of glad you're here with me?" Casey chuckled and rolled her eyes at Derek.

"No you're not a horrible person. I wouldn't want to be alone here either." They smiled sadly at each other before the clatter of the door echoed. Two plates of what looked like pizza crust, leftover Kraft dinner, and a milk jug of water were put into the room and the door's closed again.

"For Fear they sure are hospitable." Casey mumbled before grabbing the plates and living one to Derek who sat down slowly on the bed. She brought the jug over too and sat beside him.

"Only as much as they need to be, bathrooms break in the morning, after lunch, and after dinner. Shower ever 2 weeks, and they give you a change of clothes then too, and then meals. There always leftovers. There are six guys who stay here all the time. One comes and goes on a regular basis bringing people back and forth, other members I think." But six have been living here so we eat whatever they don't want. It's not much but it helps your going to be hungry for the first month until your stomach shrinks. Then your used to it."

They entered silence until they were done. Casey was the first to speak.

"You know what this reminds me of?"

"Hmm?" Derek grunted turning to look at Casey. She laughed and leaned her head against the wall.

"When I first moved in and we were left home for the weekend, you had the party and we got stuck in the bathroom. It's just like now, I mean desperate times call for desperate measures, in this case that measure is getting along." Derek laughed and then grabbed his side.

"Laughing, bad idea." Casey's eyes widened as her hands fluttered towards Derek helplessly wanting to help him but afraid to touch him. He went to get up with the dishes but Casey stopped him.

"I'll do it. What do you want?"

"Put the plates by the door, knock and then come back over here." Casey did as she was told before practically running back to be beside Derek. After the door opened and the plate's disappeared, Casey and Derek both yawned.

"Come on get some sleep. I want you on the inside though." Casey raised her eyebrows at him and tilted her head slightly.

"Why?"

"Just cause." Derek muttered pulling on his shirt.

"No why?" Derek looked at her and she stared back "Please?" she tried figuring that if they could be this civil towards each other why wouldn't puppy dog eyes work?

They did, Derek groaned before saying it.

"I would rather keep you as far away from them as possible. Even though they usually leave me alone at night. I would rather keep you safely behind me." Casey smiled lightly at him, touched by the fact that he would do something that sweet no matter what his reasons were. 

Casey lifted her arms and wrapped them around Derek once again. It took him a moment but he hugged her back before she crawled behind him so she was lying against the wall. He wrapped the blanket around them both. They shared the pillow so there faces were very close together.

"Derek?"

"Mmm?"

"Were you scared?" Derek paused for a moment before pulling his arm to rest under his head.

"I think at the beginning, when they first got me I was. I don't think I was scared of the situation, just at the fact that I wasn't able to defend myself. I felt weak. The fear went away the more I mouthed off to them. So now, even though it hasn't been that long, it feel's almost normal."

There was a silence between them before Casey spoke again.

"Derek?"

"Mmm?"

"Would it be bad to say that I'm terrified?" Derek flipped over on his side. Casey was on hers looking at him. She was biting her lip trying to keep back the tears that were threatening to spill over. The corner of his mouth lifted in a sad smile. It was strange for him to see Casey so vulnerable. She was always so cool and collected. Big, like even when she was panicking she was strong, but looking at her now, she just looked so… small.

"No Case, it's not." She squeezed her eyes shut urging herself to believe that it was okay. Derek put his hand on her head smoothing her hair, while he knocked his forehead against his in a playful gesture.

"Every thing will be fine I promise." Her head nodded against him as he pulled back and soon after fell into a deep slumber.

Casey couldn't sleep the flickering of the lights and the cold were keeping her awake. She was still on her side looking at Derek's sleeping face. Beneath the cuts and bruises he was still Derek all the way. This whole thing had barley affected him, of at least as far as she could tell. His hair was long, falling almost past his nose. She lifted her hand to move his hair off of his face. She smoothed her hand under his eye where the bruise from Max used to be, and Derek shivered in his sleep. His hand lifted and curled over Casey and pulled her on her stomach almost laying on him completely. His arms tightened around her as her warmth seeped into him. 

Her face was scarlet but she didn't move. Her head was on his chest and so was one hand. The other was awkwardly in-between them so she shifted. Her hand was now under one of his so she could hold onto his shoulder, fingers towards her. He was warm and comfortable. 

"D-Derek?" she whispered but Derek didn't stir. She sighed and finally relaxed against him. 

A few times today she had trouble believing that it was really Derek. He had been so nice to her. Of course, under the circumstances that was understandable.

Finally her eyes drifted close and she fell asleep warm and contented; for the moment anyways.

Derek's eyes opened slowly. He had grown used to being woken up at a certain time by the gang, but today no one came. For the first time in months he felt warm and content. Glancing down he notice he was on his side. Casey was also on hers; one arm draped across his waist and the other was under his arm latched onto his shoulder. His one arm was under her head like a pillow and his other arm was around her waist. She was tucked in tight to his body. Her hair fell over her face in messy tangles. Derek lifted his hand off her waist to push the hair off of her face. Her makeup was smudged from tears and a nights sleep, and though there were tangles, her hair was soft. She shivered slightly and unconsciously pulled Derek closer for warmth. He winced as she tugged on his side but smirked as she nestled her face into the exposed skin above the collar of his shirt. He stiffened as her breath caressed his skin and he gulped, as his breath grew ragged.

Derek didn't bother to wake her. He stayed as he was and put his arm back around her and buried his face into her hair.

He would be lying if he said he didn't miss her. Especially her. Though he may have hated to admit it, Casey became a huge part of his life. The silence had been killing him. Technically yes he had 'talked' to people but he missed the playful banter, the pranks the heated fights. They took up a large portion of his life and he found he missed it. Don't get him wrong, he missed everyone too especially Marti, but he found himself thinking about Casey the most. He hated the thought, but he somehow knew that the reason for that just wasn't because he missed her, but the way he missed her; and he was terrified that the way he missed her wasn't like a stepbrother missed a stepsister, but the way a guy missed a girl that he-

"Mmm…" Casey murmured startling Derek out of thought. Here eyes opened and she was staring at neck. Her eyebrows burrowed together and she pulled back to make certain of what she woke looking at. Her head went upwards and Derek's heart beat erratically as her nose accidentally brushed his lips.

"Derek?" she said confused. Then realization hit her as she remembered what happened the night before.

"Morning." Derek let a weak smile pass his lips as Casey's face grew pink as she realized their position. 

"Uh… I … uh…" she murmured before going to sit up. Her arm was pushing down on Derek's side and he gasped in pain. Casey's eyes widened in shock as she let herself fall back down beside Derek.

"Oh my God are you okay!" Casey asked in a hushed panicked tone.

"Mmm…" Derek grunted as he tried to ignore the pain. "Maybe getting up isn't the best idea right this second." Derek tried to laugh.

"What time is it?" Casey mumbled looking towards the door. Derek suddenly felt very stressed and confused.

"I don't know. I woke up like fifteen minutes ago which means it would have been seven but they hadn't come on time today. What is going on?" he mumbled the last part to himself and Casey could sense his anxiousness.

"Derek Venturi up before noon willingly? Wow…" she tried in an attempts to keep him semi cheery. He smiled slightly before his face grew solemn once again.

"I'm sorry you got involved in all this… God Casey I'm so sorry you don't deserve to be here." Casey shook her head at him.

"Neither do you. And don't worry; everything will be okay. By the way since when does Derek apologise?" she grinned at him and he just smirked again.

"Being in a place like this changes you." His tone was slightly bitter but Casey ignored that.

"Not too much I hope. When we get out of this I still expect my daily Derek pranks." Derek smiled genuinely at her.

"You can count on it." 

a few hours passed and no one came. Casey and Derek were still lying on the bed but were now apart.

"Okay what is my favourite… colour?" Derek scoffed.

"Pink. Come on give me harder one's Casey."

"Fine. It's your turn anyways." Casey pouted while Derek thought up another question

"What's my… favourite type of movie? Your not going to get this one Case." She glared at him.

"Says you." Casey paused for a moment before answering. "Documentaries. The one's about specific real event's and don't even try to deny it I know that when we get home you secretly switch it back to the discovery channel when you think we aren't paying attention."

"I didn't think that you paid attention to me." Derek said. His stomach flipping at the thought of Casey watching him.

"Case…" Derek started, unsure of what he wanted to say exactly. She looked at him with wide blue eyes, waiting for him to continue. Before Derek could form a coherent thought the door clattered open. One of the men stood in the doorway as Derek shot up ignoring the pain in his side as he did so. Casey got up with him and Derek shifted so she stayed behind him.

"Girl. Bathroom now." Derek felt Casey's trembling hands against him. One was wrapped around his waist and the other was clutching the back of his shirt for dear life." He lifted his hand and laid it on top of Casey's hand by his waist.

"I hope you understand that I don't want her going out there alone."

The man sped into the room still sticking to walking some how. Derek moved with Casey so she was now in a corner. Derek was still in front of her keeping his stance in front of the 6'5, 300 pound man.

"And I hope you understand that I'm going to kick your cocky ass."

"Go ahead. But she's still not going out there without me." The man smirked and went to draw his hand back until Casey ducked under Derek's arm.

"Wait! Derek, it's okay."

"No it's not. It's you and a group of criminal men." The man chuckled and stepped back.

"You want to protect her? Well your right, she's fine, the boys would pass her around like the piece of meat she is!" Derek drew back and swung upwards at the guy. He was shocked but drew back and punched Derek in the face causing his nose to bleed and his back to hit the wall. 

"Y-you got anything e-else?" Derek managed out trying to keep his voice steady.

"Stop!" a voice called from the door. A man of equal height but smaller build was standing in the doorway with an amused face. "If he wants to go with her. He can go with her." He winked at the man who smiled back at him before grabbing Casey's upper arm and Derek's collar. They both got shoved into the bathroom and the skinnier man chucked a towel at Casey.

"Take your time." He grinned as the door slammed in their faced.

"Derek.." Casey gasped finally taking Derek's face in her hands.

"It's nothing."

"You're bleeding. All over." Casey insisted as she went to press the towel to Derek's face.

"No Case that's for you. Today will probably be the last shower your going to get for a while." Derek reached and grabbed some toilet paper tilting his head back.

"You say that like you think we will be here forever…" Casey tried to joke but Derek wasn't laughing. 

"So… shower huh?" it took Derek a moment but he clued in.

"Uh yea uh… here I uh…" he turned around facing the door and after a moment he heard cloth hit the floor. Out of the corner of his eye he could see movement in the mirror and his head unconsciously turned to look. Casey's back was at the mirror as Derek raked his eyes over the silhouette of her back as she fumbled with her jeans. He whipped his eyes forward just as she unfastened her jeans. His heart was beating a million times a minute. Palms were growing sweaty and mouth gone dry. She showered quickly and was surprised that Derek was still in the same position as he was before. She grabbed her towel wrapping it around herself before speaking up.

"Derek? Are you okay?" he didn't answer so she walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned then staring down at her he gulped.

"Derek, are you okay?" she repeated. Her hand was still on his shoulder; her thumb rubbing unconsciously. Derek gave a lazy smile as he placed his hand on top of hers.

"I'm fine." He said tossing the tissue into the toilet. Casey grimaced as she noticed his upper lip was stained red. Casey grabbed toilet paper and dampened it. She stretched out for Derek's face and he pulled back.

"Don't be such a baby." She stated as she hooked her hand behind his neck. Derek stared at her as she concentrated in cleaning the blood. A little wrinkle appeared in between her eyebrows and the tip of her tongue protruded from her mouth.

"I'll do that. Get changed." Derek said taking the tissue from her and quickly stepping away. Casey frowned at his out burst but did as she was told while Derek turned around.

"Five minutes!" Casey and Derek hurried to finish their business despite the awkwardness.

"I can't stand this Derek. Being controlled by them every day. It's already driving me crazy." Casey whispered as she stared at the door. Her body was starting to tremble like it usually did when she got upset. 

"I know…" was all Derek could say. Casey sighed and leaned against the door just as it opened and sent her backwards. Derek reached out and caught her arm yanking her towards him in one unbelievably smooth motion. He turned so his back was to the door and Casey was clutching armfuls of his shirt.

"Let's go." Then man growled at he grabbed Derek's arm. Now would be when the cocky Derek would resist but with Casey here he just followed keeping his free arm around her shoulders. Casey's arms were around his waist; her body, tightly stuck by his side. Derek was getting a little worried when instead of going back to the room he was pulled in the other direction. Something didn't feel right.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you all who have read and reviewd my new LWD stories it makes me super happy!! heres the next chapter i hope you like it!!**

* * *

"Casey!" Derek yelled as she was ripped away from him His hands clutched air as Casey was hurtling backwards in to one of the men. His arms wrapped around hers so they were pined by her sides. Casey let out a scream as she was lifted off the ground. Her legs flailed as she tried to get out of the man's grasp.

"Der-ek!" Casey screamed as Derek lunged towards her fighting against the arms that held him. The man holding Casey clamped a large tattooed hand over her mouth which Casey in turn bit down on hard enough, that she drew blood and her jaw throbbed in pain. The man howled as a smaller, lankier man with a gun in his hand pulled back and swung his hand forward connecting it with the side of Casey's face. Derek was frozen as he watched Casey's body grow limp. Anger swelled inside him as he thrashed out keeping his eyes on Casey who was being taken through a door.

"NO!" Derek's voice thundered, as he finally broke free. His hand swung with amazing force and hit one of the guys who was holding him straight in the jaw. He turned and another guy about his size was there. Derek crouched down low so that his shoulder collided with the man's leg. Derek wrapped his arms around his legs and tackled him to the ground and then sent three punches to the guys face and then jumped to his feet rushing forward. Before he could get any further, the man who hit Casey stepped in between him and the door. Derek stopped in his tracks as he literally stared down the barrel of a gun.

"Let's play nice; Yea?" The man with the gun said. His voice was thick with a British accent, and eyes were an icy grey that made Derek want to shiver. His brown hair was spiked up with frosted tips and a streak through his bangs.

Derek let him self come out of crouching position to stand straight up. Every fibre of his body was stiffened, fists coiled and ready to swing.

"Where the hell did you take her?" Derek growled as two men stepped up to grab his arms while the icy eyed guy lowered his gun.

"Now, now mate, let's show our boy some hospitality." The men released Derek's arms and he stepped towards the man.

"Bring Casey back now."

"Sorry mate, Casey's a little… busy at the moment. I need you to do something for me if you want to see her safe and sound; yea?"

"How bout you bring her back here now and save me the trouble of rearranging your face?"

"Big words mate, Are you sure she's worth it?"

"She's worth more then you can imagine." Derek growled as the man sat in a chair crossing his legs casually.

"We'll then I guess you wont refrain from helping us then. If it mean's saving your… sexy looking step sister…" Derek stepped towards him and was once again pinned by random gang members,

"Don't you dare even think about her."

"Oh my apologies… I guess you would like to know more about me before I jump your foxy sister. Cam's the name. Now that we are all introduced let's get on with this yea? Snake get our mate a seat." A chair was pushed behind Derek's legs taking them out from under him.

"You hungry? Thirsty? Spike, get Derek a pizza, and a coke."

"I'm. Fine. Hurry the hell up."

"Oo… feisty. Guess that means you don't want to share Casey huh?" Derek's hands tightened around the armrests so hard he could hear the faint crack of his knuckles.

"I'm trying your patience I get it. So here's the deal. We need to buy some time. So, we need a favour. A video. Of you acting pitiful, and pretending like you don't know Casey is here."

"Why?" Derek asked actually confused.

"Your Dad needs some… motivation. And if he thinks you and the fox are scared hurt and alone, it might bump him into gear." Derek glared at Cam but no one took notice.

"Deal?" Cam asked leaning forward towards Derek while extending a hand.

"And if I don't?"

"Then it's no real loss to me mate. I'll just use Casey to help me cope with the disappointment if you know what I mean.." Derek was on his feet and so was Cam

"What? If you want to save her, oblige mate." Cam said. His and Derek's chests were touching as they glared each other down. Derek was fuming and his jaw was tight.

"Fine." Was all he said as Cam smiled widely; flashing pearly whites.

"Great. Tag, get Derek a script; yea? See you when it's done mate." Cam said before going through the door that Casey went through. Soon after the guy who took Casey in there came out. Casey was alone with Cam and Derek didn't like that one bit.

"See Mate? That wasn't so hard." Derek shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Yea sure. Where's Casey."

"Easy mate. You'll get her when you get her."

"You said I would get her back!" Cam laughed leaning back onto the couch.

"I said you'd save her if you did what we asked I didn't say you'd get her back. Thanks to you, she's not too busted up." Derek was restrained again as he lashed out at Cam.

"What do you mean not too busted up? I swear if she is so much a uncomfortable…"

"You'll what? What can you do?" Cam laughed not even distressed with how close Derek had gotten to him. Cam nodded at the guys who had Derek who dragged him back to his room.

The door slammed behind him and Derek ran at it banging loudly until his body grew tired. He put his back to the door and slid down it letting his head fall in his hands.

He couldn't believe it. They took Casey away from him. The look on her face when they took her was pure terror and he kept seeing it over and over. His thoughts were morbid. He should have fought harder; he shouldn't have given up so easily. Thanks to him Casey was somewhere alone possibly hurt and he couldn't do anything about it.

He could feel his eyes burning with tears as he wiped at them angrily. If anything happened to her, Derek would never forgive himself. Derek was upset with himself. Not only had he allowed Casey to get in this situation where he couldn't protect her. He realized that it was pathetic that it took him this long to appreciated her, and realize that Casey meant more then the world to him.

* * *

It had been nearly a week, and each bathroom break, each time they brought him food Derek had pushed his way out the door to get to Casey only to be beaten back into the room.

They brought him back from the washroom and two of them shoved him into the room. Immediately, like second nature, Derek spun around trying to catch the door. When it shut Derek screamed and punched at the door until a meek voice lulled him into peace.

"Derek?" the voice sounded almost desperate. Derek's breath hitched in his throat as he turned to see the tiny figure stand shakily to her feet.

"Casey…" Derek breathed running forward pulling Casey to him. She started crying, so hard Derek thought she was going to pass out. He held her so tight he thought at any moment she would meld into him. "Casey…" he whispered again as he pushed her back to examine her face. She was unusually pale. Dark circles surrounded her eyes like she was sick with something. The whole side of her face was splattered with dried blood and bruises. Derek grazed his hand across her cheek as she winced and her crying worsened.

"Oh God Casey… I'm so sorry." He said pulling her to him again. Casey was smothering herself with the crook of Derek's neck. The past week had been horrifying and now with Derek she finally felt safe. She depended on him more then she realized and the only thing that got Casey through everything was thinking about Derek, wishing that she were back to that morning when they were lying in bed. When they actually forgot about there surroundings and were just together.

_Just together._ Casey smiled through her tears. If anything good came of this, it was how amazing she realized that sounded; especially when it involved Derek. He was her safety net. Whether or not it was from the current situation or Derek himself, Casey had realised something. She was falling for Derek.

"What have they done to you…?" Derek whispered gently trying to wipe her face free of tears. Casey shuddered and Derek noticed this. Visions of her being passed around by the men brought upon tremors that helped Derek's imagination to build. They hadn't actually raped her, but they might as well have. The things they did to her… the things Cam made her do at gunpoint; the torture that she was sometimes unconscious for. They did things she didn't want to know.

"I'm going to kill them!" Derek snarled trying to walk off and hit something. He felt the urge to vent his ultimate anger but when Casey grabbed onto him pulling him back with One hand on the back of his neck while the other held the collar of his shirt, his anger dissolved

"Don't… please just…" she didn't know what to do or say she just needed him right now. More then she needed any one or anything. Derek closed his eyes to calm himself as he let his forehead rest against Casey's.

"Come on..." Derek cooed as he sat on the bed with Casey slowly rocking her. After what seemed like forever she was calm in his arms, just staring up at his face studying it as if she was scared if she didn't get enough of him, she wouldn't be able to survive if she was taken away again. Derek was thinking the same thing. His mind was already flashing to things he could do if they decide to take Casey away from him. He couldn't let that happen, he cared about her too much to let her hurt anymore and he felt he needed her to know the impact she had on him.

"C-Casey?"

"Mmmm?" Casey answered. When Derek didn't reply, Casey looked up at him. He was staring down at her biting his lip.

"Nothing. I'm just glad your back." He replied lamely. He couldn't as much as he wanted to tell her what she meant to him, it wasn't the time, and to be honest… it was a little too much feeling for him too admit. Even with all that was going on, he was still Derek.

"Derek?" Casey asked. Derek looked down at her. Her eyes were closed and eyebrows scrunched together. Before he could ask her what's wrong she leaned up and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

"W-what was that for?" Derek stuttered as Casey pulled away. Her eyes were still closed. She was too scared to open them to see his reaction.

"Would you believe me if I said it was a thank you kiss?" She asked lamely. But as Derek studied the look on her face, the blush in her cheeks, he replied with a cocky smirk on his face.

"Not at all." Casey opened her eyes then and looked in Derek's eyes. His gaze shifted from her eyes to her lips over and over again. He finally looked back at her eyes as he leaned in ever so slightly. He stopped to gage her reaction. It was one of pure anticipation and that's all it took for Derek to move in. his lips were parted when they met Casey's. Caressing her lips with his he moved one hand to the back of her head securing her face to his while his other hand pulled her closer to him. He slowly pushed her back so she was on the mattress with Derek hovering over her. His hands ran all over her arms and face like he was trying to memorize her with his hands.

Casey smoothed her hands over his chest as he lowered onto her. Her hands were pinned between them. Her fist had curled to grab handfuls of his shirt to keep him close. He moved his lips to her neck and Casey closed her eyes revelling in the feeling. As soon as her eyes closed a flash came into view. The man who had carried her into the room was there on top of her as she tried to slap away his face.

She gasped and her hands pushed outwards as her eyes flew open. Derek stopped and looked down at her.

"Casey? Are you okay?" Casey looked up at Derek and faked a smile.

"Yea, yea." She reached up and pulled Derek's face down to hers. He kissed her carefully this time. His eyes were open watching her face for a reaction. When he felt her sharp intake of breath he pulled away.

"No you aren't. Casey I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. I mean I get it." Derek said sitting up and attempting to sit away from her. Casey's eyes widened as big as saucers as she sat up trying to pull Derek back to her.

"No! Derek you have it wrong. This…" she waved a hand between them "is amazing… I just keep.. s-seen them… I- ca- I'm sorry…" Casey said as she started to cry. Derek never thought it was possible but his heart started to break. Casey looked so vulnerable and broken. Derek leaned in placing a soft kiss on Casey's lips.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." He assured her as he pulled her with him to lie down. "Nothing at all." He repeated as his thoughts kept returning to how amazing it was going to feel when he killed the men who did this to Casey.

It had been hours and Casey had fell asleep. She didn't move at all except to cough quite a bit. _She must be getting sick…_ Derek thought. Derek's arms were wrapped around her tightly as his hand absentmindedly smoothed the hair off her face over and over again. After she fell asleep Derek checked the rest of her. She had bruises around her wrists, upper arms and ankles. There was blood under her fingernails as if she continuously clawed at her attackers. He lifted her shirt just enough to see some bruises on her back like she was thrown against a wall or pushed onto the floor one too many times. The worst of the injuries were on her face. The whole right side was marred and blackened. And there was a cut on her lip that looked like it was almost healed. Derek smoothed his thumb over Casey's bottom lip and in her slumber her lips parted under his touch.

"What have they done to you…?" Derek whispered. Just as the words left his mouth the door opened.

"Oh you really don't want to know that mate. You might get jealous." Derek wanted to run to the door and slam Cam's smug little face in between the door and the doorframe. But he felt better sticking in between Casey and Cam.

Derek sat up shifting so Casey wasn't in Cam's view. Cam moved forward so close to them. He crouched down in front of Derek like they were old friends sharing a secret.

"She's a great kisser isn't she?" Cam said as he reached out to play with a strand of her hair. Derek recoiled ready to pounce but without any effort, Cam had his gun out pointing it at Casey.

"You're a smart boy Derek. But I'm going to need you to be a little smarter." Cam used the gun to trace the line of Casey's jaw lightly. His icy eyes stared at her head tilted to the side. Derek was getting angry and was too scared to do anything about it.

"What do you want?"

"Were let you go mate."

"What?"

"You just have to do one thing for us. And if it all goes smoothly, you and the fox go free."

"What do I have to do?

"The court hearing is in two day's. Gorge must not love you guys enough because he is still going through with sending our friend to the gibbet. So we have a new plan. We need a distraction. Were still working out the kinks, you are going to be the distraction." Derek understood now and he stiffened.

"I'm not leaving Casey here alone."

"You have no choice if you and Fox ever want your lives back." Derek stared Cam down as Cam ran his eyes along Casey and it took everything Derek had not to pluck out his eyeballs.

Cam removed the gun from Casey and crossed his arms over his legs. At that moment Cam looked completely non-threatening.

"Look. I promise none of my mates will touch your precious fox. You could be free Derek. I would think you would be jumping for joy at this opportunity."

"Well forgive me if I'm not jumping on the trust train. You said I would get her back not too beat up and she's broken. Your lucky I haven't killed you yet for what you've done to her." Derek's Gaze shifted briefly to the gun as he moved to pull the covers up around Casey's neck.

Cam chuckled. Quickly he clicked the safety on his gun and slid it to the opposite end of the room.

"It's a fair fight now. What are you going to do?" Derek didn't give it a second thought. He jumped at Cam knocking him backwards as he delivered punches to his face.

Once blood started to appear on Derek's knuckled he got off Cam grabbing the gun and turning the safety off. He pointed it at Cam with two red hands holding it steady. His finger twitched on the trigger. He desperately wanted to empty the gun in his smug looking face but he was shaking and Cam was so close to Casey.

Cam was propped up on his elbows one leg stretched out in front of him and the other was bent up. He was looking up at Derek smiling like one would to a friend who told a joke. It made Derek shiver.

"Move to the other side of the room." Derek said voice quiet but strong. The adrenaline was wearing off.

"I don't think that's an option mate." Cam's arm moved too quick for Derek to realize what he was doing; and before he knew it Cam had a needle stuck in Casey's arm.

Miraculously she still wasn't awake. Sleeping like a corpse the only notion that she was alive was the rise and fall of her chest and the coughs that exploded here and there.

"Pull the trigger Derek. I dare you. I may loose my life sure… but you would loose Casey." With that Cam injected the needle and Derek was stuck in a helpless position.

"What the hell is that?" Cam recapped the needle sliding it into his jacket pocket before wiping some blood of his face.

"Easy mate. I just bought your step sister some time."

"What are you talking about?" Derek asked. His voice was growing shaky with fear. Now, even with the gun in his hand he was terrified.

"My mate's injected her with cyanide. I'm sure you heard of it, yea? That, that I just gave her, was a small dosage of amyl nitrite. Not enough to get rid of the cyanide, but enough to keep her alive for now. You still with me Derek?" he asked after Derek leaned against the wall for support. He felt cold as Cam moved to sit by Casey's head. He pulled her upwards so her head was on his lap and he held her head with one arm and her upper body with the other.

"Unfortunately. When the amyl nitrate attacks the cyanide, it creates a cataclysmic reaction, which causes…" as if on cue Casey's back arched and her fingers started to curl. Derek could hear the cracking of her knuckles as she twisted and shook. Cam held onto her tighter securing her neck and preventing too much movement.

Casey's whimpers turned into screams that could wake the dead. Derek rushed over to her and Cam let Derek take over.

Derek wrapped his arms around her similar to the way Cam did, only he held her closer as he pressed his lips to the top of her head. Her tremors finally stopped and her body relaxed and she began to cry in her sleep.

"The cyanide will make her tired, and she needs the shot whenever she goes to sleep Derek. If she doesn't get it… she won't wake up." Derek closed his eyes and bent down so his forehead was on Casey's. Tears welled up from behind his eyes as he stuck his hand out to return the gun to Cam.

"So is your mind changed." Derek bit his lip unable to speak. If his mouth opened he knew the tears would start coming. Derek nodded his head as Cam bounced lightly to his feet.

"Good."

As soon as Cam was out of the room, Derek allowed himself a few tears.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Full of fluff! i personally loved this chapter and it did not go in any direction that i intended it to... it just wrote it self. i didn't want ti to go this way... but the story did... so who was i to rebel? lol okay hope you like this chapter!!**

* * *

Casey was still asleep on the mattress while Derek was in the opposite end of the room watching her

Casey was still asleep on the mattress while Derek was in the opposite end of the room watching her. One leg was our in front of him and his arms was propped up on the other leg like so many pictures at home, and in the year book sporting his usually cool, collected Derek pose.

For years Derek had been the player. The guy all the girls wanted and all the guys wanted to be. He prided on being the best. Not at using his brains, but his brawn. Hockey captain, hopping from girl to girl, not caring who got hurt; just to have a good time.

What good did his rep do now? He was weak, powerless, in last place. No one would want to be him now. The weakling who couldn't save himself…

He was stuck in a place where they didn't care that he could get ten dates a week, they didn't care that he scored the winning goal in three playoff games, and they didn't care that he took three seniors to the homecoming dance when he was just a junior.

Right now, none of that matters. Casey matters and she was dying. Her dancing, her school, her friends, family, her life. That was all that mattered now. Saving Casey.

"Mmm Der-ek…" Casey mumbled in her sleep. "Der-ek…" Derek crawled on all fours over to the bed sitting beside her. Her brows were furrowed. And she looked almost angry.

"I've see your bathroom aim before… theirs no way you'll hit the target…" She mumbled coughing slightly.

"Summer… camp… please?" she murmured. Derek smiled as her features lightened and the slightest curl of her lips made her look ten times livelier.

Derek's mind went to last summer when Casey was doing summer camp. It was the first time they had managed to get along completely with no argument or bad thought what so ever. Casey sat through the game that they were playing and didn't play until Derek crouched in front of her with the hoola hoop and put it over her head. 'The force-field is activated.' Derek had said. He remembered her smile still as she ran through the obstacle course. He could see her hips circle as she swayed with the hoola hoop.

Those were happier days and she was remembering them.

"Derek…" she said quietly her smiling face going blank. "Derek…." she said a little louder, her voice slightly panicked.

"Case, it's okay I'm here." He tried stroking his hand over her arm.

"DER-EK HELP ME! HELP PLEASE! STOP IT!" she screamed as her body flailed. Derek got hit a few times as she struggled against him.

"Casey! Casey wake up!" he shook her holding her arms down. She awoke with a start looking around frantically with tears in her eyes.

"Derek!" her voice cracked as she sat up quickly wrapping her arms around Derek's neck practically pulling him on top of her. He had to put a hand on either side of her to keep him from falling.

"You okay?" Derek asked. Casey relaxed letting herself fall back down but she kept a hand around Derek's neck playing with his hair. The other hand clutched his shirt in a slowly loosening grip.

"Just a bad dream I think… I can't remember it…" Casey bit her lip trying to remember what made her feel so scared but she couldn't.

Derek smiled sadly at her from his position above her before trying to sit up. Casey's hand held him still though pulling him closer.

"Where do you think you're going?" she smirked at him and Derek had to laugh as she tried to imitate his smirk.

"No where. No where at all." Derek lowered himself like a push up and placed a single chaste kiss on her lips before rolling so he was lying beside her. Casey rolled too so she was lying on top of him. Derek's hand reached up to smooth her tangled hair.

"Derek… do you think this is weird?"

"Yea actually." Casey's face fell slightly as Derek placed his hands under his head. "Who ever heard of a nearly 18 year old getting KID napped… doesn't make sense at all."

Casey swatted him playfully.

"That's not what I meant Derek, I meant this… us… is it weird?"

"Honestly? Yea… I mean not just us but like… the whole situation. That it took until this place to realize what we mean to each other… what you mean to me. It's very weird…"

He knew she wanted to know something else. She wanted to know what would happen when they finally got out of this place, what would happen with what was going on now?

"You know… I don't know myself Case. Not that well anyways… but every time I would watch a movie where two people got stuck in this situation, or something similar, I always couldn't help but thinking 'after all they have been through already, how could they ever get any problems that would lead to anything ending… I mean they already have been through hell together… what else can tear them apart.

This is our hell Case, only fate will decide what happens between us after this." Casey was staring at Derek's face. His eyes were everywhere but her during his speech until he was done. He looked up at her and could see her eyes glistening slightly.

He was about to ask her what was wrong when she leaned in and kissed him long and soft lips unmoving; but the moment she pulled away she missed the feel of his lips tremendously. Casey leaned in and moved so she was right on top of him with just a leg on either side, straddling him. Her hands were around his neck, fingers laced together behind him. Derek kissed her back with more passion then he thought was possible. His hands rubbed up and down her arm's trying to soak up the feeling of her smooth skin.

"Mmm Casemm." Derek tried as his head started to clear. He moved his hands to her shoulders to pry her lips from his.

"Are you sure your okay?" he asked panting slightly. Casey nodded to him biting her lip. Her eyes were sparkling with affection and determination.

"I'm amazing…" she whispered "I'm okay I really am." She insisted as she took in Derek's cautiousness. Derek was scared to frighten her again. He didn't want to do anything to make her uncomfortable, and he had no idea what his boundaries were let alone hers.

Yet he gave in as he lifted his hand to her cheek, thumb smoothing over her skin lightly. Casey smiled down at him before leaning in again.

She kissed him slowly at first but the kiss grew hungry and needy as her hands roamed all over his torso.

Derek wanted so badly to take charge but he took his cues from Casey. He felt her tongue flick his lip and his mouth shot open allowing her entrance, which caused her to laugh in his mouth. Derek smiled into the kiss as his hands went to her hips, his fingers on the slightly exposed skin on her back.

Casey was tingling with happiness. Kissing Derek was melting away any thoughts about where they were and what was happening to them. Her hands slid to the hem of his shirt as she lightly dragged her nails over his stomach feeling the contours of his abs.

Derek shivered and his back arched while Casey moved her lips to his neck and began biting and sucking…

"Oh God Case…" Derek breathed as he rubbed his hands more directly on her exposed skin.

Casey loved the reaction she was getting. She was never this forward with Max or Sam, but with Derek, it felt amazing… right. Casey rolled her hips slightly getting another groan from Derek causing her to smile against his skin.

"You have no idea what you're doing to me…" He mumbled as his hands moved further up her back under her shirt.

"I can guess…" she said as she nipped at his ear laying a kiss right under it causing another shiver from Derek.

"Okay this has to stop." Derek said pushing Casey away slightly.

"What? Why?" Casey asked feeling more then a little rejected.

"Because I want to do so many things to you right now that… I-"

"So do them!" Casey urged moving her fingers over his stomach again pushing a little harder with her nails causing Derek to pull her involuntarily closer.

Casey some how knew all the right things to do to drive Derek crazy. It was like she was made for him, complete with an instruction booklet on how to push his buttons.

"Okay who are you and what have you done with Casey." Casey groaned rolling off of Derek a brushing a hand through her hair.

"Case…" Derek whined.

"No whatever, for get It." Derek studied her for a moment.

"What are you trying to do exactly?" Derek asked knowing this was more then just their attraction.

"I want to be with you, because I love the way you make me feel. I feel happy and whole with you and you make me forget what happened, where we are what they did… and as much as I'm scared to admit it, I need you Derek, I need you to help me forget, and get some better memories…"

"Casey…"

"Please help me to forget Derek…" Derek's mouth felt dry as he battled internally.

"Please…" Derek sighed as he nodded, rolling onto his side.

Derek's eyes were on hers as his hand moved her shirt exposing her stomach. His fingers trailed softly across her skin trying to be gentle so he wouldn't scare her.

Derek leaned over her and pressed his lips to hers as her hands wrapped around his neck pulling him closer.

"We need boundaries Casey." Derek mumbled against her lips. Casey sighed loosening her hold.

"Where did Triple D Venturi go?" she asked almost to herself. Derek couldn't help but smile. To think, the girl who reprimanded him and said that he was disgusting for being a skirt-chasing cad, was now begging him for whatever he had to offer… Derek never thought he'd see the day.

"Still here Case, but I don't want…you have…" Derek paused trying to find the right words. "We need to make sure anything that happens is for the right reasons. No regrets."

Derek could hardly believe the man he had become. If they were still at home, if this whole kidnapping didn't happen, and Casey was throwing herself at him, he wouldn't think twice… but now…

"Your right."

"Can you repeat that a couple times for me?" Derek teased lightening the mood. Casey swatted at him.

"Strictly making out, and casual touching. Slight under the shirt action except in section's B where over the shirt action is permitted." Casey stated cupping her chest. Derek almost burst into laughter grabbing at her wrists.

"Dork... Don't bring attention to them and we shouldn't have too big of a problem." Derek laughed as he leaned forward capturing her lips with his.

* * *

Derek was lying on his back with Casey lying on his chest. His hands ran through her hair while her fingers kept running up and down his chest causing him to shiver constantly. He didn't mind. It felt amazing, and Casey loved the power.

The door creaked open and two plates and a jug of water came into view.

"Actual food? Casey gasped as she looked at the plates that had a large helping of spaghetti on both with bread. Derek glanced up and Cam winked at him tapping his wrist before closing the door.

Cam had finalized his plan. Derek was going to be taken soon.

"Derek! We have real food!" Casey brought the plates over to Derek who put on a fake smile.

"Guess we've been good lately." They ate quietly. Derek was nervous. Frightened actually; he would have to leave Casey here alone, and that didn't sit well with him.

"I'm full." Derek said pushing the plate to her.

"You have eaten far less then I have. You have to be hungry."

"I'm really not I swear." Casey stared at him for a while. "Eat it for me."

"You can finish it later."

"Case seriously. I don't want any." Casey reluctantly finished his food before cuddling with him on the bed.

She felt so safe. Casey had absolutely no idea how he got along here alone. She would probably fall apart if she didn't have Derek with her… in fact, she could feel herself falling apart at the seams this moment.

"Well isn't that cute." Casey's head shot over to the door to see Cam leaning against the frame. "How yeah feeling Fox?" Casey didn't say anything. She felt Derek pull her tighter to him shaking slightly.

"We'll Derek, say goodbye to the Fox. Were running late." Cam glanced down at his watch as Casey blinked at him like he just spoke in another language. Nothing that he said had reached her mind until she felt Derek shift her off him as he went to stand.

"No! Derek where are you going." She cried panicked as she grabbed fistfuls of Derek's shirt. Her voice was breaking and she was already tearing up and it was breaking Derek to pieces. He closed his eyes tight turning his face away from Casey as he put his hands over hers not bothering to pry her free just yet.

"Case. I have to go."

"No! D-don't l-l-leave me al-l-lone here with them. Derek, p-p-please." Casey's chest heaved with sobs as she struggled to suck in air. Her sobs turned to coughs as she gasped trying to get air into her lungs.

"Casey! Casey you need to calm down!" Derek tried but she just continued to hyperventilate.

"Shit…This isn't good…" Cam said coming over. "Hold her mate." Derek ripped her hands free of his shirt causing two holes on his chest. Derek turned her so she was on his lap and he wrapped his arms around her extremely tight. Cam took the needle out and moved over to them where Casey thrashed as her face turned blue, unable to scream.

"Casey, it's okay baby. Trust him. Trust _Me_!" Derek insisted as he held her as still as he could but she just thrashed and cried until the needle struck her skin. All of her body froze waiting for the needle to leave. Casey hated needles and Derek knew that, but he also knew that she would die if she didn't get them now.

Casey's lungs were burning with lack of oxygen and it felt like her head was swollen. She never felt this horrible in her life. It was like she was dying. And here comes Cam. the person who kidnapped her and Derek with a needle the size of Tokyo, and Derek was letting him.

The needle left her arm and Casey started to thrash again but Derek held her tighter. She felt her lungs working again and then she started to feel it.

The burning aching pain that spread through her veins.

"Derek, what's happening?" she whimpered her voice raw.

"This is going to hurt a lot baby but it will help you."

The pain got worse and worse as Casey's toes curled. She flailed about trying to shake the pain away as a scream bubble up in her throat.

Derek held her tighter to him, his eyes stinging with tears. This was worse. She was awake; she'll remember the pain.

"MAKE IT STOP. PLEASE DEREK PLEASE!"

"Oh God when does it stop…?" Derek asked Cam who held onto both Casey's ankles.

Cam was slightly disturbed himself at Casey's state. If it were up to him, he wouldn't have injected her in the first place, but he wasn't the one calling the shots.

"Soon mate, all will be well soon."

A few minutes later Casey grew limp just crying into Derek's shirt exhausted to whatever just happened to her.

"Casey?" Casey glanced up expecting Derek, but it was Cam who called her. "Derek has to come with me now." Casey shook her head mechanically against Derek's chest.

"Baby, I have to."

"N-n-no, n-n-no, n-n-no." Casey begged over and over.

"Derek lift her and follow me." Cam said as he stood. Derek cradled her against his body as he followed Cam out of the room. They went through to the living room where all the men were giving Cam weary eyes.

"Send Timmy in here when he gets here." Cam said as he held the door open for Derek.

they were in another hall with a door at the end. The room was large like a hotel room. it wasn't top notch but it had a big bed, a bathroom, and a kitchenette.

"Lay her on the bed yea." Cam said pulling back the cover's. Casey hadn't stopped mumbling 'no'.

"Timmy is my brother. He will stay with her. I promise no harm will come to her."

"She's a mess."

"She'll thank you later."

"Case, Baby?" Derek cooed laying beside her. she was still crying and shaking her head.

"I'm getting us out of here. Trust me Case, you'll be out very, very soon. But you have to let me go."

"N-n-no…" Derek inhaled slowly trying hard not to break.

"Casey. I'm going. I have to. This is the only thing I can do for you now." Casey was so frightened she couldn't believe it; and now Derek was leaving her, she couldn't take it.

"Please, Don't go." She croaked. Her voice raw.

"I have to." The door opened and Derek glanced over to see a boy the spitting image of Cam only younger. He had to be Derek's age possibly a year older and he was into all this.

"You wanted me?"

"Timmy. Don't let the guys in here. If she falls asleep she needs a shot." Cam pulled out a leather wallet and inside had many pre-filled needles. Timmy wasn't even phased.

"Got your gun?" Timmy nodded pulling back his blazer to flash a browning in a shoulder holster.

"Alright, let's go mate."

"Derek please…" Derek leaned over her and kissed her hard her lips were unresponsive but Derek knew it was cause she was tired and scared.

"I'll see you soon." Casey was to tired to beg him any more so she just let tears roll silently down her cheeks.

"I swear if anything more happens to her."

"She will be taken care of Derek I promise. Now we have to go." Cam said waiting for Derek by the door.

"I'll be back, I promise." Derek whispered to her.

"H-how can y-you promise m-me that?" Casey asked tiredly.

"Because silly, I think I'm falling for you really hard, and I want to figure out how hard soon." Derek smirked at her before she finally let him go.

Derek looked at her once more before following Cam out to a car that was waiting out front.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry for the late update... i promise i will be more dilligent.

* * *

Casey was still asleep on the mattress while Derek was in the opposite end of the room watching her

"Alright, here's the plan. You need to distract the court so we can get our boy out." Derek shifted uncomfortably in his outfit. He was wearing jeans, a ripped T and a oversized green jacket. The toque was itchy as hell and he found himself wondering how Sam could stand it.

"You'll need this, use it how you will, but use it." Cam handed him a Browning that looked just like Timmy's. Derek new better then to pull the gun on Cam, and Cam new that he could trust Derek.

"So you want me to go in, guns blazing, get tackled by the bailiff and stay there to face the consequences? What makes you so sure I won't tell the cops on you?" Cam smiled softly leaning towards Derek.

"You love her Mate. That's how I know." Derek couldn't think about the alternate meaning behind his words. He was still frozen at the L word. Was that what it was? He knew he cared for Casey, a lot. But love and Derek Venturi wasn't exactly a normal combination.

"So what I get nabbed by the cops and keep my mouth shut, then what. You said I would get Casey!" Cam nodded earnestly.

"And you will, I promise. Along with instructions on how much Cyanide we shot her up with, how many doses she gained so far, and the rest of the antiserum. If all goes smooth, we will leave tomorrow leaving her at the nest and call the ambulance and police. They come and save her. And we will be out of your life for good.

"And if all goes wrong?" Cam wouldn't look at Derek so he pointed his gun to get Cam's attention. Cam pushed the gun away slowly still not looking at him.

"Make sure it all goes right."

* * *

Casey was huddled up in a small ball on her side. The covers were twisted around her as her cheeks itched with dried tears.

Timmy was on the bed with her. Sitting up against the headboard one hand propped behind his head, legs crossed in front of him. He was watching the TV and Casey had been staring at the gun in his shoulder holster for an hour. She was trying to calculate how hard it would be to just reach up and snatch the gun. She could see it. Just reaching and pulling it out, pointing it at the guy and strolling out of here with the gun in hand, finally free.

"Why are you involved in all of this?" Casey whispered, her voice cracking with rawness. Timmy looked at her briefly before looking back at the TV. After about a minute he answered.

"Family business." It didn't sound convincing.

Casey could feel her eyes getting heavy. She was falling into the darkness and she couldn't tell if she should let it consume her of if she should fight it and snatch the gun now.

If she fell asleep, there was no telling when she would wake up, and then it might be too late.

Casey wondered how many were out there. She knew those who were probably had guns, but would they be guarding the door? Or was there a window that she could get out of? She tried to remember what the outside looked like but couldn't all she could remember was clinging to the safety of Derek's arms.

If she was going to do this, she was going to have to do it blind, no planning. For Casey that was next to impossible. But screw it. She was going to try.

The car idled out side of the courtroom. The session had started about forty minutes ago. Derek was in the car pretty much alone except for the getaway driver for the others. His heart was racing and his hands were shaking. He was flipping the gun carefully in his hands. His dad was in there, and police officers, what if it didn't work? What if he could distract them well enough? He needed it to be convincing, and for that he was frightened. How far was he willing to go to help Casey.

"To the end of the world." He muttered shoving the gun into his pocket and stepping out onto the street.

The conversation was playing over in his head. He had asked Cam again if he failed, he needed a second chance. He needed to know he had a second chance, but Cam wouldn't say any more then just to make sure all went right. He knew there would be no second chance.

Derek entered the building and followed Cam's instructions to get to the right courtroom. The door was slightly open. He looked in and saw his dad sitting at the table while a different attorney was interrogating some one. There was one bailiff that he could see and the courtroom wasn't too filled. People probably too scared to be in the same room a the gang leader.

The man was very large, looking nearly identical to the big colored man in Armageddon, just way lest friendly and more tattoos. Derek could see Cam and the rest of the getaway crew sitting inconspicuously behind their boss.

Derek needed some sort of a plan, but planning was Casey's thing not his. He needed to get everyone's attention on him, and to get the bailiff to step away from the gang leader, he had to put someone in danger, or at least make it seem that way. If he did get caught, he needed someone who wouldn't freak and press charges.

Exhaling deeply he entered the room with one hand in his pocket holding the gun.

"Your honour, I would like that to be stricken from the report." Gorge said standing.

"So stricken." The judge said. Derek got to his Dad just before he sat down. He ripped him towards him. Holding his back against his chest like he had seen in countless action movies. He kept his back to the wall so he could see the whole room, waiting for cues to come.

"Derek..?" Gorge asked awestruck. His son was alive, but more oddly, his son was pointing a gun at his forehead. That was new. Derek's face was a mask of fury as he pulled his father tighter in front of him, pointing the gun into his temple.

"I'm going to fuck you up!" Derek screamed as he lifted the gun shooting the roof once before putting the gun back to his father.

"Derek what are you doing?" Gorge asked panic stricken. He didn't know what was going on but this was wrong very wrong.

"Shut up!" Derek growled as he eyed the bailiff coming towards him, own gun in hand. Derek gulped.

"Put the gun down!" Derek could faintly hear the sound of the terrified bystanders through his heartbeat.

"Don't shoot! This is my son! Derek what are you doing?" Gorge cried trying to stay calm but it was hard. This was all so crazy.

"I said shut up or I'll blow you to pieces." Derek's eyes darted all over the place until he saw the gang was all gone. Derek yanked on his father towards the door.

"Put the gun down, I will shoot!" the bailiff warned. Derek pulled his father a little more until they were by the door.

"I'm sorry." He whispered into his fathers ear. Derek's muscles tighten as he was ready to push his father away and run for it, but the sound of a gun shot echoed and he was thrown back by his shoulder onto the floor sliding out the door.

He scrambled to his feet with one dead arm and sprinted clumsily out onto the street. The car was gone already. Relief. That meant the plan had worked. Derek took off sprinting faster then he thought was possible. Cam hadn't blindfolded him on the way here. That confused Derek, but Cam seemed to have a lot of trust in him, or just knew that he had a good way to black male him with Casey.

Derek continued to sprint. He was at the point where he felt like he was floating now. He couldn't feel his legs, he couldn't hear the sirens coming from the distance, and he wasn't even aware of the pain, or massive amount of blood he was loosing from his shoulder. He only knew he needed to get back to Casey.

* * *

Casey pretended to fall asleep as Timmy watched his show intently. She was about to reach for the gun when he looked over at her still frame.

"Oh shit!" he exclaimed reaching into his pocket grabbing the needles. Casey saw what he was getting and was freaked. She curled her hand shut and struck out hitting Timmy's nose with a sickening blow. He screamed out a bunch of profanities while Casey grabbed the gun from it's holster and Pointed it at him.

"Stay where you are." She said keeping her voice as strong as possible. Timmy wasn't going anywhere. She hit him in such a way that his cartilage was probably half way to his brain by now. Blood was staining the sheets.

Casey ran to the door and opened it running down the hall. Her knees felt like jelly and her eyes were getting foggy but she didn't care. She threw open the next-door screaming and pointing her gun. One round went off and hit the wall. Casey gasped trying to steady her shaking hand.

The room was empty and silent. No one was coming for her.

The door had so many locks on it and they weren't opening. Timmy probably had the key's, but she wasn't going back there. Stepping back she held the gun up in both hands and aimed it as best she could three of the rounds missed but she finally got the locks shooting them open.

She threw open the door and saw sun for the first time in what seemed forever. She was blind but she started to run until she ran right into a shadow who's arms closed around her.

"Well, well. Well, aren't we feisty today." Casey recognised the shadows voice as he pushed her back into the house. He hadn't notice the gun, none of them had. She pushed away and held it out. Aiming for his chest.

"Where is Derek?" Cam grinned at her.

"Tell me where Derek is or I will shoot you!" her voice was trembling. Cam strode up to Casey so the gun was pressed against his stomach.

"He might be dead, might be in jail who knows? My guess would be dead though…"

"You son of a-" Casey started as she went to pull the trigger when something heavy struck her on the head and she went down, her vision blurring and slowly fading to black.

"What Timmy? Can't even handle a girl? Give her the shot and put her back in the room."

"Mmm, Derek…" she whimpered before the darkness over came her.

When Casey woke her head was throbbing with pain. She was back in the room only there was some blood on her pillow from her head. Sitting up painfully slow, Casey looked around. the door was wide open and everything was silent. The clock next to the bed read 2:49 in the afternoon. She had been sleeping for nearly an hour and a half. Getting to her feet she found it hard to stand by herself. But she tried.

Using the wall she pulled herself back out. The room was sunny and empty. Looking like no one had been here in a while.

"They're gone?" she gasped not able to believe it. Pushing herself off the wall she headed for the door before her legs buckled under her. she fell on all fours before kneeling trying to catch her breath.

She froze on the ground as she heard banging from the other side of the door, scared that they were back.

"C-Casey!" a voice called as the door swung open. Casey's mouth fell open while the figure stopped in his tracks.

"Case.." The smile that had appeared on her face faded abruptly as she noticed the blood.

"Derek?" he smiled taking a step forward until he was kneeling in front of her. he reached out with his good arm to smooth her hair back away from her face, but something was wrong. He suddenly felt heavy and fuzzy. His eyes started rolling backwards as his body swayed.

"Derek!" Casey screamed as his body fell forward into her. Her arms wrapped around him tightly as she fell with him, moving so that he was laying in her arms while she sat. his head lolled backwards as she shook him hands running over his face and neck.

"Derek, Derek please wake up!" she cried her voice tight. He was still breathing heavily and but the pulse in his neck was shallow.

"Oh no, oh on, Derek wake up!" she cried again. She grabbed a hold of her shirt and ripped off the bottom pressing it to his shoulder. There was so much blood, Casey was scared she was going to puke.

Derek's face was deathly pale and his body virtually still.

"Don't die, please don't die." Casey murmured before looking around the room.

"Shit!" she cried when she didn't see a phone. She knew she had to do something. She got to her feet shakily while pulling Derek's dead weight up with her. She put his good arm over her shoulder and wrapped both arms around his waist.

Derek wasn't a huge guy, but he probably outweighed Casey by at least 50 lbs. His legs were dangling back as she pulled him, having to stop every so often to get a better grip.

"Come on Derek, wake up." The sun outside was dim, hidden behind a dark rain cloud that was starting to share it's voice.

"Some body help us!" Casey screamed, her voice raw.

"Please! Help!" it started to pour as she screamed calling out for help. A few cars drove by, but on one stopped for her.

"Damn it!" she screamed crying now. She could see a car turning down this road. Quickly she lay Derek's body on the ground before running out into the middle of the street.

"Stop1" she screamed at the car. The roads were already slick with rain as the car skidded with slammed breaks. Casey bent her knees waiting for the impact with her eyes on Derek. The car's front end hit her in the leg and she flew up on to the hood until the sudden halt of the car sent her forward onto the street.

"Jesus! Can you hear me?" She heard. She looked up into the face of the stranger.

"H-help him… Please. Call an ambulance…" she said as loud as she could lifting a bloody arm, pointing in Derek's direction.

"Holy fuck…" Casey heard the guy say before he grabbed his phone dialling quickly.

"Casey could feel the pain. Something had cracked in her leg, and she knew if she looked it wouldn't be a good idea. Instead just pulled herself.

"Hey! Just stay still okay. I'm getting help- Hi this is Jamie Tomas. I'm on the corner of Oak and Sunrise. This girl ran in front of my car, I hit her, her friend is shot and not moving…" Casey pulled herself to Derek's side clutching him desperately trying to keep him warm. His fingers felt like ice and his lips were the color of paper.

"hey they are on their way…" Jamie said taking off his coat and putting it over the two of them. His arm went around Casey trying to shield them from the rain.

"It'll be okay." He murmured, Casey couldn't agree, cause at this point, she really didn't think so.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: BY THE WAY**

**Please Check out my FictionPress(dot)com account and read and review my story! please it would mean alot. my user name is the same and the story is called Counter Clockwise**

* * *

Casey was still asleep on the mattress while Derek was in the opposite end of the room watching her

There was a very annoying beeping sounding and Derek found himself growing more and more furious. The noise was waking him from the best sleep he felt he had in ages. That thought froze him. He couldn't help think about why he hadn't had a goodnight sleep in ages, and then it all hit him with a force that pushed down on his lungs. Behind closed lids the past swirled chaotically.

"_Case…" Derek breathed in relief as Casey stared into his eyes._

"_Derek… Derek!" she exclaimed throwing her arms around his neck. He leaned back against the wall pulling Casey with him. She was on his lap now face buried into his chest as he bent his head so it was buried into her hair. She cried against him and he didn't care, he just held her until her tears ran dry into hiccups._

"_I-I t-though I w-w-would never s-s-see you again…" Derek chuckled against her hair._

…

_Glancing down he notice he was on his side. Casey was also on hers; one arm draped across his waist and the other was under his arm latched onto his shoulder. His one arm was under her head like a pillow and his other arm was around her waist. She was tucked in tight to his body. Her hair fell over her face in messy tangles. Derek lifted his hand off her waist to push the hair off of her face. Her makeup was smudged from tears and a nights sleep, and though there were tangles, her hair was soft. She shivered slightly and unconsciously pulled Derek closer for warmth. He winced as she tugged on his side but smirked as she nestled her face into the exposed skin above the collar of his shirt. He stiffened as her breath caressed his skin and he gulped, as his breath grew ragged._

"_Mmm…" Casey murmured startling Derek out of thought. Here eyes opened and she was staring at neck. Her eyebrows burrowed together and she pulled back to make certain of what she woke looking at. Her head went upwards and Derek's heart beat erratically as her nose accidentally brushed his lips._

"_Derek?" she said confused. Then realization hit her as she remembered what happened the night before._

"_Morning." Derek let a weak smile pass his lips as Casey's face grew pink as she realized their position._

"_Uh… I … uh…" she murmured before going to sit up. Her arm was pushing down on Derek's side and he gasped in pain. Casey's eyes widened in shock as she let herself fall back down beside Derek._

"_Oh my God are you okay!" Casey asked in a hushed panicked tone._

"_Mmm…" Derek grunted as he tried to ignore the pain. "Maybe getting up isn't the best idea right this second." Derek tried to laugh._

…

"_Derek.." Casey gasped finally taking Derek's face in her hands._

"_It's nothing."_

"_You're bleeding. All over." Casey insisted as she went to press the towel to Derek's face._

"_No Case that's for you. Today will probably be the last shower your going to get for a while." Derek reached and grabbed some toilet paper tilting his head back._

"_You say that like you think we will be here forever…" Casey tried to joke but Derek wasn't laughing._

"_So… shower huh?" it took Derek a moment but he clued in._

"_Uh yea uh… here I uh…" he turned around facing the door and after a moment he heard cloth hit the floor. Out of the corner of his eye he could see movement in the mirror and his head unconsciously turned to look. Casey's back was at the mirror as Derek raked his eyes over the silhouette of her back as she fumbled with her jeans. He whipped his eyes forward just as she unfastened her jeans. His heart was beating a million times a minute. Palms were growing sweaty and mouth gone dry. _

…

"_Derek?" Casey asked. Derek looked down at her. Her eyes were closed and eyebrows scrunched together. Before he could ask her what's wrong she leaned up and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth._

"_W-what was that for?" Derek stuttered as Casey pulled away. Her eyes were still closed. She was too scared to open them to see his reaction._

"_Would you believe me if I said it was a thank you kiss?" She asked lamely. But as Derek studied the look on her face, the blush in her cheeks, he replied with a cocky smirk on his face._

"_Not at all." Casey opened her eyes then and looked in Derek's eyes. His gaze shifted from her eyes to her lips over and over again. He finally looked back at her eyes as he leaned in ever so slightly. He stopped to gage her reaction. It was one of pure anticipation and that's all it took for Derek to move in. his lips were parted when they met Casey's. Caressing her lips with his he moved one hand to the back of her head securing her face to his while his other hand pulled her closer to him. He slowly pushed her back so she was on the mattress with Derek hovering over her. His hands ran all over her arms and face like he was trying to memorize her with his hands._

_Casey smoothed her hands over his chest as he lowered onto her. Her hands were pinned between them. Her fist had curled to grab handfuls of his shirt to keep him close. He moved his lips to her neck and Casey closed her eyes revelling in the feeling._

Those memories sent his stomach flipping erratically but as soon as he saw the good, his mind swirled to the horrible.

…

"_Casey!" Derek yelled as she was ripped away from him His hands clutched air as Casey was hurtling backwards in to one of the men. His arms wrapped around hers so they were pined by her sides. Casey let out a scream as she was lifted off the ground. Her legs flailed as she tried to get out of the man's grasp._

"_Der-ek!" Casey screamed as Derek lunged towards her fighting against the arms that held him. The man holding Casey clamped a large tattooed hand over her mouth which Casey in turn bit down on hard enough, that she drew blood and her jaw throbbed in pain. The man howled as a smaller, lankier man with a gun in his hand pulled back and swung his hand forward connecting it with the side of Casey's face. Derek was frozen as he watched Casey's body grow limp. Anger swelled inside him as he thrashed out keeping his eyes on Casey who was being taken through a door._

"_NO!" Derek's voice thundered, as he finally broke free. His hand swung with amazing force and hit one of the guys who was holding him straight in the jaw. He turned and another guy about his size was there. Derek crouched down low so that his shoulder collided with the man's leg. Derek wrapped his arms around his legs and tackled him to the ground and then sent three punches to the guys face and then jumped to his feet rushing forward. Before he could get any further, the man who hit Casey stepped in between him and the door. Derek stopped in his tracks as he literally stared down the barrel of a gun._

…

_Cam chuckled. Quickly he clicked the safety on his gun and slid it to the opposite end of the room._

"_It's a fair fight now. What are you going to do?" Derek didn't give it a second thought. He jumped at Cam knocking him backwards as he delivered punches to his face._

_Once blood started to appear on Derek's knuckled he got off Cam grabbing the gun and turning the safety off. He pointed it at Cam with two red hands holding it steady. His finger twitched on the trigger. He desperately wanted to empty the gun in his smug looking face but he was shaking and Cam was so close to Casey._

_Cam was propped up on his elbows one leg stretched out in front of him and the other was bent up. He was looking up at Derek smiling like one would to a friend who told a joke. It made Derek shiver._

"_Move to the other side of the room." Derek said voice quiet but strong. The adrenaline was wearing off._

"_I don't think that's an option mate." Cam's arm moved too quick for Derek to realize what he was doing; and before he knew it Cam had a needle stuck in Casey's arm._

_Miraculously she still wasn't awake. Sleeping like a corpse the only notion that she was alive was the rise and fall of her chest and the coughs that exploded here and there._

"_Pull the trigger Derek. I dare you. I may loose my life sure… but you would loose Casey." With that Cam injected the needle and Derek was stuck in a helpless position._

"_What the hell is that?" Cam recapped the needle sliding it into his jacket pocket before wiping some blood of his face._

"_Easy mate. I just bought your step sister some time."_

"_What are you talking about?" Derek asked. His voice was growing shaky with fear. Now, even with the gun in his hand he was terrified._

"_My mate's injected her with cyanide. I'm sure you heard of it, yea? That, that I just gave her, was a small dosage of amyl nitrite. Not enough to get rid of the cyanide, but enough to keep her alive for now. You still with me Derek?" he asked after Derek leaned against the wall for support. He felt cold as Cam moved to sit by Casey's head. He pulled her upwards so her head was on his lap and he held her head with one arm and her upper body with the other._

"_Unfortunately. When the amyl nitrate attacks the cyanide, it creates a cataclysmic reaction, which causes…" as if on cue Casey's back arched and her fingers started to curl. Derek could hear the cracking of her knuckles as she twisted and shook. Cam held onto her tighter securing her neck and preventing too much movement._

_Casey's whimpers turned into screams that could wake the dead. Derek rushed over to her and Cam let Derek take over._

_Derek wrapped his arms around her similar to the way Cam did, only he held her closer as he pressed his lips to the top of her head. Her tremors finally stopped and her body relaxed and she began to cry in her sleep._

"_The cyanide will make her tired, and she needs the shot whenever she goes to sleep Derek. If she doesn't get it… she won't wake up." Derek closed his eyes and bent down so his forehead was on Casey's. Tears welled up from behind his eyes as he stuck his hand out to return the gun to Cam._

…

"_No! D-don't l-l-leave me al-l-lone here with them. Derek, p-p-please." Casey's chest heaved with sobs as she struggled to suck in air. Her sobs turned to coughs as she gasped trying to get air into her lungs._

"_Casey! Casey you need to calm down!" Derek tried but she just continued to hyperventilate._

"_Shit…This isn't good…" Cam said coming over. "Hold her mate." Derek ripped her hands free of his shirt causing two holes on his chest. Derek turned her so she was on his lap and he wrapped his arms around her extremely tight. Cam took the needle out and moved over to them where Casey thrashed as her face turned blue, unable to scream._

"_Casey, it's okay baby. Trust him. Trust Me!" Derek insisted as he held her as still as he could but she just thrashed and cried until the needle struck her skin. All of her body froze waiting for the needle to leave. Casey hated needles and Derek knew that, but he also knew that she would die if she didn't get them now._

_The needle left her arm and Casey started to thrash again but Derek held her tighter. She felt her lungs working again and then she started to feel it._

_The burning aching pain that spread through her veins._

"_Derek, what's happening?" she whimpered her voice raw._

"_This is going to hurt a lot baby but it will help you."_

_The pain got worse and worse as Casey's toes curled. She flailed about trying to shake the pain away as a scream bubble up in her throat._

_Derek held her tighter to him, his eyes stinging with tears. This was worse. She was awake; she'll remember the pain._

"_MAKE IT STOP. PLEASE DEREK PLEASE!"_

Everything slowly dimmed leaving behind one single memory.

"_C-Casey!" he called slamming the door open._

"_Case.." He repeated. _

"_Derek?" he smiled taking a step forward until he was kneeling in front of her. He reached out with his good arm to smooth her hair back away from her face, but something was wrong. He suddenly felt heavy and fuzzy. His eyes started rolling backwards as his body swayed._

"_Derek!" Casey screamed as his body fell forward into her. Her arms wrapped around him tightly as she fell with him, moving so that he was laying in her arms while she sat. his head lolled backwards as she shook him hands running over his face and neck and then everything went black._

"CASEY!" Derek screamed sitting up. The room was blindingly white, and he realized the beeping was one of the many machines he was hooked up to. His shoulder was slightly tender and he noticed a completely drained blood bag. He could remember getting shot, but all he remembered was running, not loosing blood. He wanted to mentally slap himself_. Of course he lost blood._ He threw his feet off the side of the bed and carefully stood on his shaking knees waiting a moment until he could stand himself upright.

He glanced around the room and noticed the white board scrawled with messy writing.

Type O+

Dr. S Mitchell

There were a bunch of notes and scribbles and get-well pictures probably from Marti. He smiled lightly until he noticed something in the top corner. The Date.

June 15th, about four days after the date of the hearing, or at least what he thought it was. Casey was somewhere for four days alone. He had a feeling that Casey would have been here sleeping next to him with her hand wrapped tightly around his waiting for him to wake up, but she wasn't and that scared him something wasn't right. he Ripped out needles and wires before racing out of the room running smack dab into some one.

"Derek, Oh God you're awake!" Gorge cried grabbing onto Derek.

"Get off me." Derek yanked his arm away and it caused him to stumble. Gorge reached out to grab him again and this time Derek let him.

"Where's Casey?"

"Son I think you should get back in bed."

"Where. Is. Casey?" Derek screamed. His eyes burning violently. Gorge sighed and nodded.

"This way Derek." Gorge led him to a room 5 down from him and stopped. Not bothering to follow Derek in. he could see her face through the gap in the curtain and he rushed forward pulling it back.

"Ca-" his voice got caught in his throat as a guy looked up at him, with sleepy startled eyes.

"Derek?" Derek studied the guy. He had to be about 19 or 20 his hair was nearly black and shaggy and he had thick eyebrows, and dark eyes. His skin was a light olive and he was wearing a white t-shirt with a thin collared sports jacket over top. His sleves were pushed up to his elbows. He was leaning on Casey's bed hand overtop of hers.

"Do I know you?" Derek growled glaring at his hand. The guy moved it quickly sitting up rubbing his eyes.

"Sorry uh no you uh were unconscious by then… Casey jumped out in front of my car to get me to stop and I called 911. she passed out shortly after and she hasn't woken up since." Derek's anger swelled in him until he realized something.

"She hasn't woken up? No… no… no.. Case…" He choked turning towards the door. "Help! I need a Doctor!! Help!" He screamed rushing over to the closet. Casey's clothes were there and he saw the ripped fabric. He was to worried to let the reality of her getting hit by that jackasses car sink in. he searched the pockets frantically looking for the black leather package that Cam had given Timmy.

"Whoa Derek are you alright? Calm down." The guy pulled on Derek's arm causing him to swing and hit him in the jaw.

"Don't touch me."

"Mr. Venturi! You're awake! You should be in bed!" The Doctor advanced carefully and Derek shook his head.

"Cyanide! She was Injected with Cyanide!" The doctor's eyes furrowed.

"Derek, please explain."

"There isn't time! Amyl Nitrate! That's what Cam was giving her whenever she went to sleep. She needed it or she wouldn't wake up!" Derek was shaking as the Doctor turned and left the room calling down the hall. Derek rushed to Casey's side noticing the casted lump under the blanket.

"I couldn't stop… I'm sorry." Derek looked up at the guy he punched and shook his head.

"Casey was always a drama queen. Only she would choose throwing her self in front of a car as a clever alternative. She was never logical under stress." Derek chuckled sadly as he remembered all the times she had freaked out and went against her natural nature because of stress. Lying when she forgot a homework assignment, freaking out when she had to take a math test.

"You and your sister must have been close."

"Step sister. And yes we were." The guy nodded before sticking his hand out.

"Jamie Tomas." Derek shook his hand just as the Doctor rushed back in with an empty syringe.

"What are you doing? I told you what's wrong with her!"

"I know, we have to test her blood first though."

"There isn't time!" Derek screamed at him, his hands shaking with fury.

"Derek Venturi?" Derek turned to the door to see Gorge, Nora, and Marti, and a suit. Marti ran forward rapping herself around him.

"Hey Smarti." Derek mumbled to her as she cried into his hospital gown.

"Derek I need you to come with me." Derek fumed at the guy.

"I'm not going anywhere." Derek said backing up and grabbing Casey's limp hand. It was cool, but comforting, feeling her skin against him, knowing that she was real, and she was here, with him.

"Derek I need to a moment with you."

"So talk to me here. I'm not leaving her." Gorge's eyes flickered between the too, his gaze resting on their hands. Nora was bawling now and Gorge didn't make any move to comfort her.

"I can leave." Jamie said standing. "A room's a room right?" Jamie nodded at Derek as he passed.

The Suit whispered something to Gorge who turned Nora, and pulled Marti out of the room. They waited in silence for the Doctor to finish with Casey.

"Sit down Derek." grabbed the chair and pulled it across the room so he was sitting beside Casey.

"I'm Detective Maloney. Now, normally I would have had you handcuffed to the bed, but your dad assured me, the scene in the courtroom was forced. So answer my questions and I'll get out of your hair."

Derek nodded numbly knowing he had to be careful of what he said or else he could get Fear after them again.

"When were you taken?"

"March 30th."

"And it that time, did you know where you were?"

"No."

"How were the living conditions?"

"They were fairly hospitable. They fed me leftovers and I got bathroom breaks."

"When were you aware of Casey's abduction." Derek's Hand tensed around hers as he looked at her. There were racoon circles around her eyes and she was pale. She looked worse then she did when he first noticed she seemed sick.

Derek's eyes flashed to the door hoping the doctor would come in and save her.

"Derek?"

"I don't know about 2 months after I was. They brought her straight to where I was." The detective frowned looking down as his notes.

"Yet according to a video, you claimed that you were all alone." Derek shrugged.

"They told me to lie. Dad wasn't quick enough for them so they thought if he knew that we were alone and scared he might smarten up. Apparently not." Derek scoffed.

"Were you aware of the names of your captors?" Derek froze; his thumb stopped rubbing circles on Casey's hand. Maloney noticed this and his eyes narrowed.

"Not really they all had nicknames, Tic, Snake, Spike."

"Snake and Spike?"

"I know. Degrassi Jr. high. I thought it was weird to." Maloney smirked at Derek and took out a handful of photos.

"Take a look and tell me if you recognize any of these people." Derek shuffled through the pictures, he didn't recognise most of them. Big guy's with shaved heads and tatoo's. Derek froze for a millisecond when he saw Cam's familiar brown, spiked, frosted hair, but a millisecond was long enough for Maloney to notice.

"See anyone?"

"Nope, I don't recognize any of them."

"You sure? Withholding information is a federal offence" Derek looked him straight in the eye's handing the pictures back.

"Definitely."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the long update this chapter was kind of a filler/ reminder hope you still liked it.**


	6. Chapter 6

Derek's foot could not stop bouncing as he waited for the doctors to some back and give Casey the injection. He couldn't understand why they didn't just do what he told them was needed done in order to save her life.

"Derek, I know you're worried about your sister, but just calm down. Panicking won't make them come faster." Derek whipped his head to the couch at the back of the room where Jamie sat.

"Step Sister! Why the hell are you still here anyways?" Derek said gritting his teeth.

"Because I want to make sure she is okay." Derek snorted

"She's not your responsibility."

"Well I still am going to stay." Jamie stated stubbornly. Derek could only lean his head on his and Casey's entwined finger's, and try to imagine that that guy just disappeared.

…

"So, The Amyl Nitrate was working cohesively with her blood work. We were afraid that it had been too long, that the Amyl Nitrate wasn't going to grasp, but according to her blood work, the Amyl Nitrate has taken care of most of the Cyanide." The doctor explained. Derek was in his usual place, at Casey's bed side. It had been a few days, since they started fusing the antidote into her, not by IV, they had some kind of machine that pumped a tiny bit of it whenever the blood in her body made it all the way around her body.

"But she still isn't awake?" Nora cried holding onto Casey's other hand. Most of the family was at the hospital every day except for Edwin, Lizzie and Marti. Derek threw a fit every time Gorge came, so soon he stopped coming too. Unfortunately, Derek couldn't seem to get rid of Jamie. At 5:43 everyday Jamie would come and sit in the room reading or sit at Casey's side when it was vacant. This made Derek seethe inside.

"No, unfortunately we don't know the extent of damage from the Cyanide, We have done a cat scan and we couldn't see any signs of damage, but it is usually hard to tell when it comes to chemicals. Basically everything else that needs to be patched up is up to Casey."

Derek's eyes pulled to Casey's face. She was so thin and pale; it looked as if her cheekbones were threatening to poke through her skin at any second. Dark circles surrounded her eyes and you could barley tell she still had lips with how white they were. She was always cold as ice, and still as a brick wall.

"Tada! Hey Casey! I brought you Roses!" Jamie said cheerfully coming into the room after the doctor left. Derek scoffed while he grasped Casey's hand tighter. Nora noticed this like she always did, but ignoring it seemed best for now. "Nora, Derek, why don't you go and get supper. I can stay with her."

"I'm not hungry thanks; But Nora why don't you go home early tonight. I'm sure Lizzie misses you." Derek addressed Jamie with venom before carefully nudging Nora. Nora didn't look any better off than Casey.

"Call me if anything changes." Nora said patting Derek on the shoulder before hugging Jamie.

"You know you don't have to come back every day." She joked lightly while Jamie set down the flowers and took Nora's seat.

"I _want _to." Jamie assured her like he did almost every day; and Derek was sure he wanted to be here. No matter how many times Derek yelled at him or threatened him, he wouldn't leave. Jamie watched Nora leave before grabbing for Casey's hand.

"Oh, she feels a little warmer today." He said before cupping her tiny hand in his and blowing moist warm air, rubbing the heat he could give her into her fingers. Derek's shoulders tensed. He hated Jamie more than anyone he was sure, well with a few exceptions. Jamie happened to not want to hurt her, so he was slightly more stand-able. "Casey, how are you today. Should I bring you daisies tomorrow? Maybe one of each color?"

"Stop that!" Derek growled trying not to glower at the man across from him.

"Stop what?" he asked, his eyebrows raising high on his forehead, a very innocent expression.

"Acting like everything's fine; acting like she can hear you. Just stop acting all together. You. Don't. need. To. Be. Here." Derek growled. Jamie wasn't offended. Never was and that made Derek madder.

"I'm sure she can. Her brain and ears still work fine right?" Jamie chuckled knowing that he was getting to Derek. "You know, even all banged up, she still looks beautiful."

_Derek rose and ran to the other side of the bed grabbing Jamie by the collar of his fancy sports jacket and slammed him up against the wall. He kept pulling back his fist and propelled his knuckles into Jamie's face enjoying the sickening crack._

Not exactly. Instead Derek tried not to smile at the satisfaction his thoughts just then gave him. Jamie wasn't fooled. He knew the image Derek was having, not details but he knew how much Derek hated him.

"So I have been thinking; when Casey wakes up, I'm going to ask her on a date."

"Do you want me to break your face?" Derek said. Jamie's eyes widened in surprise; not from what Derek said, but how he said it. He didn't seem threatened, just a statement. He sounded bored. Of course Derek was. Jamie was so set on getting Casey, but Derek knew that Casey liked him. At least he hoped he knew. It had crossed his mind, while he sat alone at the hospital holding onto Casey's fingers, that she could have just developed feelings for him because they were in a desperate time. One that forced them to lean on each other, but he didn't dwell on that. He knew he wasn't going to let her change her mind. He had never liked anyone like he liked her, and he knew that it was never going to change.

"You like her don't you?" Derek looked up to meet Jamie's dark orbs and suddenly he felt thretend. "She's your sister, you do realize that."

"Step. Sister." Derek repeated narrowing his eyes at him.

"Still, It's weird." Derek sat up straight keeping Casey's hand.

"She doesn't think so."

"Yea, in a dark room with people and guns and nowhere else to turn, maybe. But here, she might just realize that there is other guy's around." Derek laughed, loud and sarcastic.

"Who? You? You think she'll be impressed that you sat by her side everyday because you felt guilty for hitting her with your car?" Jamie shook his head looking completely serious.

"No, it's not out of guilt. I just think she will think of it this way. A guy who saved her and someone she cares about, or a guy who saved her and happens to be related. If she decides to fall for a hero, I think I would be the easier choice.

"You don't even know her!" Derek exclaimed he felt his heart flutter with nervousness even though his brain was telling him that he had no reason to be.

"That can be changed, and as soon as she wakes up, I'll deal with that. I'm not going to _not_ try Derek."

In Casey's mind, everything kept replaying over and over; like she had an ITunes playlist on shuffle and repeat. It was a bad nightmare she couldn't get out of no matter how hard she tried to concentrate on the faint, numb, mumbling, on the edges of consciousness. She was aware that people were around her, and touching her and poking her with sharp needles that made her want to scream out frightened that it was Cam with more Cyanide. She was sure he was just trying to finish her off slowly. Why else would she be stuck in this position for so long? She knew she was dying, but she couldn't let go. She refused to. She wanted to see Derek, she needed to make sure he was Alive before she could let herself go, but she had no way of knowing.

She could feel the numbness slowly going away, but it was too slow for her. She was growing impatient and trying to go against the walls, to break free and open her eyes to look around and use her voice to ask where Derek was, if he was alive; but each time she tried to break through it hurt. It was like her body was yelling at her, telling her to slow down and take her time. It frustrated her.

What would she do if Derek had died? Every time she tried to rid herself from thinking such things, she could see Derek bloody and smiling, she saw her drag him out to the street for help, and she knew that she had to think about it. She had seen him dying. She had seen his paper white lips drained of blood. She could feel the coldness of his body and knew that there had to be a possibility that Derek could have… She would scream in her head. A piercing angry cry of agony, she hated not knowing. It was like being back in that room when Derek got his break; only she had no idea if he was coming back at all.

Could she live? If Derek was gone when she was finally able to open her eyes, _if_ she was finally able to open her eyes; would she be able to fight and go on living knowing that he died for her? She didn't know. She wasn't able to recall how Derek made her feel. She just knew she needed to make sure he was alright; everything else was a moot point. She could remember the times they had and they shared, but she couldn't remember the feelings. It was like all her feelings had to be erased so that she could cope with the new feelings the nightmares kept replaying.


End file.
